Wrench



2 sheets-sheet 1.

(Model.)

M. WLNGERl v f WRENGH.l A

Patented News., l189:5.

- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. M. WBNGER. WRENCH.

(Model.)

Patented Nov. 5.1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON VVENGER, OFYNEWY HOLLAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 549,221, dated November5, 1895.

Application filed September 29, 1894. Serial No. 524,515. (Model.)

To LZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON WENGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Holland, in the county of Lancaster and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Wrench, of which thefollowing is a specification. Y Y

This invention relates to nut adjusted wrenches; and it has for itsobject to effect certain improvements in wrenches of this characterwhereby the threaded shanks of such wrenches can lbe adjusted veryrapidly.

To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is toprovide simple and efficient Ineans applicable to all forms ofnut-adjusted wrenches with screw-Shanks, wherebya quick adjustment ofthe wrench can be secured, while at the same time being positively heldin its adjusted position, and

the invention therefore contemplates the ready and quick adjustment of anut-adjusted wrench with one hand, whereby the time required inadjusting and applying a wrench to diiferent-sized nuts or pipes may bereduced to a minimum.

`Vith these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described,illustrated,and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ordinary form ofnut-adjusted wrench provided with the herein-described improvement. Fig.2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of the adjustingnut. Fig. 4 is a planview of the bowed spring-plate for the adjusting-nut. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of another form of nut-adjusted wrench equipped with myimprovement for quickly adjusting the same and holding theadjustment atany point. Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the formof wrench shown'in Fig. 5.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that theimprovementsclaimed are applicable to different forms of nut-adjustedwrenches having screw-Shanks, and in Figsland 2 of the drawings isillustrated an ordinary form of Wrench in connection with which theimprovements may be advantageouslyV employed, and in this form of wrenchthe numeral 1 designates a shank provided at one end with a handle 2,which is secured on the shank through the medium of the usual ferrule 3and a tip-nut 4. The other end of the shank 1 is provided with a toothedhead 5, and this head formsa heel 6, which is perforated at 7 to receivea pivot 8 for securing a movable yoke 9 to the shank.v

VThe Inovable yoke 9 is provided with a loop 10, that loosely embracesthe shank, and on opposites sides ofthe stationary shank 1 are securedreversely-disposed adjusting-springs 11 and 12, the free adjacent endsof which are located within the loop 10 at the opposite ends thereof.

The yoke 9 is provided with a longitudinal bore or opening 14 and atransverse opening 15, communicating with .the longitudinal bore. Thesaid longitudinal bore of the movable yoke 9 loosely accommodates. andreceives a sliding or movable shank 16, which is provided at oppositeedges with `continuations of a series of threads 17, having a long 1pitch, much longer than the usual screw, and at the outer end of themovable shank 16 is located a head or jaw 18, having an inner serratedor toothed face 19, which, together with the corresponding face of thehead or jaw 5, provides for firmly gripping the object operated on.

The movable threaded shank 16 loosely accommodates thereon a cylindricaladjusting-nut 20, whose interior is bored and provided with a pluralityof spiral grooves or threads 20, which agree in pitch with and looselyreceive the threads `17 of the movable shank 16. The nut 20 is providedwith a milled periphery to form a purchase for the fingers of the hand,and upon one face is provided with a series of radial teeth 21, whichare normally held into engagement with the opposite teeth 22, formed onthe inner face of a catch-ring The catch-ring 23 is securely fitted tothe movable yoke 9 within the transverse opening 15 and'at oneside ofsaid opening, the teeth of said catch-ring being also radially arrangedin the same manner as the teeth 21 of the nut 2,0. A bowed spring-plate2llooselyvits on the. movable shank 16 and is interposedjbetween oneside of the nut 20 and the transverse opening 15 IOO of the yoke tonormally hold the teeth of the nut in engagement with those of theopposed catch-ring. The said catcli-ring may be recessed at one side toform opposite flanges 2G, embracing opposite sides of the yoke toprovide convenient means for fitting the ring thereto.

From the above it will be understood that the present invention residesin the arrangement of the nut 20, combined with the spring and catchtherefor, and it will be obvious that the objects of the invention willbe secured by simply providing one face of the nut with a roughenedsurface instead of with teeth, and by providing the yoke with teeth or aroughened surface Where the catch-ring is located, and these means foroperating and holding the nut are not only simple and inexpensive, butmay be applied to' all forms of nut-adjusted wrenches with screw-Shanksother than the forni shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, asillustrated by another form of wrench in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The form of wrench shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings is of a simpleconstruction, such as is commonly employed as a pocket-wrench and forsimilar uses, and in said figure of the drawings 27 designates a hollowor tubular liandle-sliank provided at one end with the fixed jaw 2S andaccommodating for movement therein the sliding or movable shank 29,carrying at its outer end the integral movable jaw or head 30, opposedto the jaw 2S. The movable shank 29 is provided for a portion of itslength at opposite edges with continuations of a series of threads 3l ofalong pitch and adapted to be engaged by the adjustingnut 20, of aconstruction already described.

l In connection with the form of wrench described, 'and as illustratedin Fig. 5 of the drawings, the ad j ustin g-nut 2O is mounted loosely inthe transverse nut opening 32, formed in the handle-shank 27,intermediate of its ends, and provided with a roughened or toothed side3i, that is adapted to be normally engaged by the roughened er toothedface 21 of the nut 20. The roughened or toothed face of the nut 2O isheld in engagement with the roughened or toothed side of the opening 32by means of the bowed spring-plate 24, interposed between oiie side ofthe opening and one side of the nut 20, as clearly illustrated in thedrawings.

Vhether the adjusting-nut and its catch devices be applied to a wrenchoi' the form shown in either Fig. l or 5 of the drawings or to otherformsof wrenches, the operation is always the same to secure a quickadjustnient of the wrench. To operate the wrench it is simplynecessaryfor the operator to grasp the nut 2() and rota-te the saine in onedirection to open the jaws, and by reason of the long-pitched threads ofthe movable shank the jaws will open very quickly. The open jaws of thewrench are then slipped over the object to be operated upon and themovable jaw pushed to the desired position, in which position it will beheld firmly by the engagement of the teeth of the nut with those at oneside of the opening in which the nut works, and the spring 24, whetherit be a spring-plate or other form of spring, renders this engagement ofthe teeth positive and overcomes the fault of the common screw-wrenches,which often loose their adjustment when turning a pipe ornut. The wrenchcan also be adjusted by turning the nut 20in either direction, as inother wrenches; but by sliding the jaws together over an object afterbeing opened a correct adjustment is made instantly.

In the operation of the wrench it will be understood that inasmuch asthe toothed or roughened faces of the nut and one side of the opening inwhich the nut works are simply to provide for a non-slipping frictionalgrip for the nut the said nut can be readily turned in either directionwithout disengag- 'ing the teeth thereof from the teeth of one side ofthe said opening in which the nut works. In thus turning the nut withthe fingers-for instance, in opening the jaws of the wrenchthe spring 24readily yields, so as to allow the teeth of the nut to freely ride overthe opposing teeth engaged thereby; but, however, when the jaws of thewrench have been adjusted on the object any tendency of the movable jawto separate away from the fixed jaw necessarily draws or pulls the nutinto tight engagement with the teeth at one side of the opening in whichthe same works, thereby positively preventing the nut from rotating andconsequently preventing the jaws from separating. While the toothedengagement of the nut with the teeth of the stationary or iiXed part ofthe wrench does not interfere with the ready manipulation of the nutwith the fingers, such engagement, also, does not interfere with theinward movement of the movable jaw by simply pushing on such jaw. Inthis connection it is to be noted that after the jaws of the wrench havebeen opened and slipped over an object it is simply necessary to pushagainst the movable jaw to force the same inward. ln thus pushing themovable jaw inward it will be obvious that the spring 24, yields so asto allow the toothed or serrated side of the nut to entirely disengagethe opposing teeth or serraticns on the stationary part of the wrench,and when the nut is thus disengaged` the same will freely rotate underthe influence of the long-pitch threads of the movable shank, so as toallow of the closing ofI the wrench or inward movement of themovablejaw, without turning the nut with the iin gers.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmaybe resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, a-nd desired to besecured. by Letters Patent, ism- 1. In a wrench, a stationary shank pro-IOO IIO

vided with a nut opening having a toothed or roughened side, the movableshank arranged to Work through the nut opening and provided with aplurality of threads of long piteh, a Cylindrical adjusting nutmountedwithin said opening and provided with a toothed or roughened faceopposed to the toothed or roughened side of said opening, and a springinterposed between one side of the nut and one side of the nut openingto normally hold the nut in engagement With the toothed or roughenedside of said nut opening, said spring being adapted to allow the nut tobe disengaged from the toothed or roughened side of the nut opening andto be automatically rotated by an inward movement of the movable shank,substantially as set forth.

2. In a wrench, the combination with a stationary shank carrying a yokeat one end having a transverse opening, and a threaded movable shankmounted to slide through said yoke, of a oateh ring fitted within thetransverse opening of the yoke and provided with a series of radialteeth, an adjusting nut mounted within said transverse opening andprovided on one face with a series of radial teeth opposed to those ofthe catch ring, and

Aa bowed spring plate arranged at one side of the nut to normally holdthe same engaged with said eateh ring, substantially as set forth. Intestimony that I olaim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

MILTON INTENGER. Witnesses:

S. DILLER BOWERS, ELI M. MARTIN.

